Psychology - Social Influence and Deviance - MCAT Practice Questions

A newly hired employee begins wearing a specific uniform color only because they observe all their successful colleagues doing so, believing this is the correct way to dress for success. This is an example of:

A. Normative Social Influence
B. Socialization Influence
C. Compliance
D. Secondary Deviance

A person publicly states they agree with a group's opinion on a controversial topic, even though they privately disagree, simply to avoid confrontation and ensure they are accepted. This action is motivated by:

A. Socialization Influence
B. Normative Social Influence
C. Internalization
D. Primary Deviance

Which level of Conformity is the lowest, involving temporary or superficial change to public behavior without any change to private beliefs?

A. Identification
B. Internalization
C. Compliance
D. Normative

A person truly integrates a religious group's values and beliefs into their personal ethical system, demonstrating the deepest level of conformity known as:

A. Compliance
B. Identification
C. Internalization
D. Socialization Influence

Labeling Theory proposes that deviance is primarily defined by:

A. The objective harm caused by the act
B. The actor's intent to break a law
C. Society's reaction to the act
D. The severity of the punishment

A student occasionally copies homework answers from a friend but is not caught and does not internalize the identity of a "cheater." This isolated, unpunished act is an example of:

A. Secondary Deviance
B. Primary Deviance
C. Riot Behavior
D. Systematic Desensitization

A person who was involved in Primary Deviance is arrested, publicly labeled a "criminal," and subsequently finds it nearly impossible to get a job, leading them to commit more crimes. This subsequent, more serious behavior is known as:

A. Compliance
B. Secondary Deviance
C. Mass Hysteria
D. Aversive Conditioning

A city-wide panic erupts as people share unfounded rumors via social media about contaminated drinking water, causing a run on bottled water stores. This collective behavior is best described as:

A. Riot
B. Secondary Deviance
C. Mass Hysteria
D. Normative Social Influence

A crowd, feeling marginalized and angered by a local court decision, expresses its frustration through property destruction and violent clashes. This is a classic example of a:

A. Mass Hysteria
B. Riot
C. Primary Deviance
D. Compliance

The transition from Primary Deviance to Secondary Deviance is primarily driven by:

A. An increase in the actor's guilt
B. A decrease in the behavior's frequency
C. The societal reaction and stigmatizing label
D. The severity of the original offense